There are now more persons with serious mental illnesses in the prisons operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections (6,000) than in all of the public and private psychiatric hospitals in the state combined (4,500).

The Cook County Jail in Chicago houses more persons with mental illnesses (1, 200) than any single public or private psychiatric hospital in the state. (A recent article on the number of people with mental illnesses in prisons and jails written by Summit member John Fallon is linked below--"The Nation's Largest Mental Health provider")

It is extremely expensive and difficult to treat persons with mental illnesses in prisons and jails.

In 2010, Cook County entered into a Consent Decree with the US Department of Justice to improve mental health services in the Cook County Jail. That agreement is linked below.

The state's failure to adequately fund community mental health services has placed an unfair burden on counties and cities which must pay for most of the cost of processing persons with mental illnesses through the criminal justice system. The Summit supports House Bill 1905 which is designed to respond to the delays of up to 90 days in transporting persons found unfit to stand trial from county jails to state mental hospitals.

There are effective and cost effective mechanism for reducing the number of persons with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system. They include:

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training which is already being utilized by the Chicago Police Department and some other police departments in Illinois

Programs which link persons with mental illnesses leaving prisons and jails to comprehensive community services. A pilot program operated by Thresholds for persons leaving the Cook County Jail reduced recidivism by more than 65% and won an award from the American Psychiatric Association.

In April, 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed a judicial committee to study mental health courts. Long-time mental health court supporter, Justice Kathy Zenoff was appointed to chair this important committee.

The federal government has recognized the fact that there are large numbers of persons with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system and has begun to provide funds to states to implement diversion program under the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act . $12 million may be available in FY2010 for this program.

No person with a mental illness should be placed in Tamms due to the program of sensory deprivation employed at that facility which exacerbates most mental illnesses. (A detailed policy position on this topic is linked below.)

In order to facilitate reentry, Medicaid benefits should be suspended rather than terminated upon arrest and incarcerations. Link here to materials on this topic. The Council of State Governments released a report on this topic in July, 2011 which is linked below.

No person with a mental illness should be discharged from a prison or jail without a comprehensive plan for community services which is reasonably calculated to insure continuity of care.

Dedicated state funding should be given to community mental health providers to serve persons leaving prisons and jails.

Advocates rally in opposition to placing persons with mental illnesses in Illinois' supermax prison at Tamms after inmate who died after being denied mental health services as a punishment. (Photo by Becky Moseley)

On December 22, 2009, the US Department of Justice announced the availability of competitve grants to provide services to persons leaving prisons and juvenile facilities designed to reduce recidivism.